Restylane for Acne Scars - Hollywood, FL

I had Restylane injections 2 weeks ago to treat acne scarring. I have already had a series of Fractional CO2 laser treatments, with good results (I have already written a separate review for the laser treatments). The PA who performed my laser treatments, who was wonderful in every way, had mentioned the possibility of Sculptra following these treatments. I had made the decision to wait at least 12 months after the last laser treatment to follow up on this. When I was ready to return to my PA, I found that she had moved out of town. I made the decision to go on a couple of additional consultations for fillers, since I would be working with someone completely new to me anyway, and was a bit nervous about Sculptra. I met with one doctor who recommended Restylane and this is what I chose. I made this decision based on the fact that I was impressed by the Doctor and felt he was the right choice for me, and also because Restylane is shorter lasting. I know this may sound strange, but since it was my first time injecting anything into my face, I felt this was the safer route for me, in case I didn’t like the results.

The treatment did not hurt at all, which surprised me a bit because other reviews have indicated otherwise. Everyone is different but for me it wasn’t even mildly uncomfortable. The process was easy, and honestly even pleasant, due to the doctor’s manner. He allowed me to look in the mirror multiple times during the session to show me how the scars were filling in and to ask me to point out additional areas of concern.

I experienced no long term side effects, just some temporary redness and a little swelling. I did not bruise at all. Immediately after the injections I had a few decent sized visible lumps that I was concerned about. The doctor explained that he had intentionally overfilled certain scars and that these lumps would reduce within the next few days, if not within a couple of weeks, and that the end result would be that the scar would fill in more completely. I have to admit that I was a bit concerned about this. The lumps made the appearance of my scars worse and more visible for the first day or two, which was a little unsettling. However, I did trust the Doctor and he was absolutely right. These” lumps" reduced by at least 70% by the 3rd day. By the 4th day, they were no longer visible. So far, I am very satisfied with my results. I had wanted an overall smoother appearance to my skin, and had very realistic expectations. I received exactly the results I had hoped for. Some scars that were treated are no longer visible at all, and the overall appearance of the other scars that were treated is significantly reduced. Somehow by treating multiple scars individually, the overall appearance of skin has really improved. Of course, I know these results are temporary and I don’t know exactly how long they will last. I am hoping for maybe 9 -12 months? Unless they last significantly less than this, I will certainly do this again, since for me this is money well spent. This has been a very positive experience for me.

I can’t share pictures since I didn’t think to take good enough “before” pictures. But I’m hoping this review will help someone despite this. I have benefitted from reading about the experiences of others. Acne scars are so difficult to deal with and it’s hard to know which treatment and which doctor to select. There are so many treatments and most of the times a combination of treatments is necessary, so it can be overwhelming.